No more knights and dames for Australia

Australia has decided to stop its controversial policy of appointed knights and dames in its honor system. The knighthood system revived last year by ex-PM Abbott had been one of the factors for his removal.

PM Turnbull said in a statement that Australia’s honour system is, “an important way of honouring the achievements and service of many Australians, including those unsung heroes who might not otherwise be recognised outside their local communities”, but the knighthood and damehood honours were “not appropriate in our modern honours system”. Republicans agree that the system is an unwelcome remnant of Australia’s colonial past.

“We shouldn’t be celebrating the fact that knights and dames are gone, we should be lamenting the fact that they came back under this government,”- Turnbull (as quoted by ABC News).

Existing knights and dames will not be affected by this move and the PM shall further discuss this matter with Prince Charles during his royal visit later this month.